News Release

Saturday, July 24, 2004

Stabbing Death Investigation

"Stabbing Investigation"

Los Angeles: On July 24 2004, a thirty one year old woman employed as a cleaning lady, arrived at 6:30 a.m. at the apartment complex where she works in the 6900 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard. A few minutes after arriving at the building, two male Hispanics approached the locked front door, and asked the woman if she would let them in saying they lived in apartment #217. She let them in and then walked to a maintenance room just off the lobby entrance. All of a sudden, one of the two men she had let in, forced her back in to the maintenance room, armed him self with a large kitchen knife, and stabbed her numerous times in the upper torso. The two men then left the location and left the victim on the floor in the lobby. Tenants from the complex heard the victim screaming and came to her aid and notified emergency personnel. Paramedics responded to the location and transported the victim to a local area hospital where she underwent surgery and is expected to survive.

Detectives responded to the location and began their investigation by interviewing two individuals who were residing in apartment #217 who were able to identify the two men who had fled the location. At approximately 2:00 p.m., one of the two men seen leaving the location came to the North Hollywood station. While being interviewed by detectives, he advised them he was aware of what had happened at the apartment building, and that he had driven the other suspect to a location in South Los Angeles where he had caught a bus to Mexico. The man who came to the station was interviewed extensively and then released.

Detectives immediately notified the California Highway Patrol, San Diego Police and Sheriffs and the border authorities. At approximately 4:00 p.m., the bus was located and stopped by the San Diego Police within walking distance of the US/Mexico border. The suspect, a 17 year old juvenile, was taken into custody without incident. North Hollywood Detectives went to San Diego and transported the juvenile back to Los Angeles. The juvenile will be booked at Juvenile Hall and held without bail. The motive for the attack has not been determined.

This news release was prepared by Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.